Gritty Griots: Trio Da Kali and "Yirimadjo"

Trio Da Kali brings us the random tune for today, a song called Yirimadjo. Uniting three musicians from the Mande culture of southern Mali, each of the trio comes from the ancestral griot tradition. Vocalist Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté is the daughter of legendary griot Kassé Mady Diabaté. Lassana Diabaté is the group's musical director and balafonist, and he has recorded and toured with many legends of West African music. Bass ngoni player Mamadou Kouyaté is the eldest son of celebrated ngoni player Bassekou Kouyaté. The group brings a modern interpretation to ancient Malian songs, but still using traditional instrumentation, and was originally formed as part of a collaboration with the Kronos Quartet. You can find Yirimadjo on Trio Da Kali's eponymous 2015 EP.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Griot Singing: Kassé Mady Diabaté and "Toumarou"

Today's random song is by Kassé Mady Diabaté, a singer from Mali descended from the Malian griot musical caste. Realizing that Kassé Mady may have inherited his family's musical prowess, His parents schooled and encouraged him. As lead singer of the Orchestre Régional Super Mandé de Kangaba, Kassé Mady won the Biennale music competition in the Malian capital of Bamako. He caught the eye of a group of Malian musicians who had gone to Cuba to study music - they asked him to join their group as lead singer. The group, the Maravillas, later known as the Bandema National, became famous throughout West Africa due to their music...Cuban style music with a touch of Malian Mandingo. In 1988 he left Mali for Paris and recorded his first solo record - he spent ten years there before moving back to Mali and made influential albums in collaboration with other artists such as flamenco group Ketama, blues artist Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabaté. This song, Toumarou, can be found on his 2015 album Kiriké.

Minting Hits: Noura Mint Seymali and "Tzenni"

Accompanied by her husband on guitar, with drums and bass (played upside down by recent random tunist Ousmane Tourè, Noura Mint Seymali belts out Tzenni in today's random tune. From Mauritania, Seymali is from a long line of griots (musician, songwriter, and messenger caste in many parts of Africa). Part of this tradition is the pedigree - Seymali's mother was the equivalent of a national star and her father wrote Mauritania's national anthem. Seymali has created a sound melding traditional Moorish sounds with pop and funk, slowly stripping away the trappings and leaving something uniquely essential in the music while augmenting it with her amazing singing. Tzenni can be found on her 2014 album of the same name.

Carrying the Torch: Ousmane Touré and "Dimba"

Let's tango! Ousmane Touré brings us our random tune of the day, entitled Dimba. Touré is a Senegalese musician who lives in Paris. Formerly the leader of Touré Kunda, he now is a solo artist who blends griot singing and African lyrics with western styles. You can clearly hear the tango influence in Dimba, in which Touré sings about the Olympic flame and the respect it has in all cultures. Dimba can be found on Touré's 2006 release Avenue du Monde, and on the 2007 compilation Putumayo Presents: Tango Around the World.

Griot Reggae: Prince Diabaté and "Sabou"

Today's song, Sabou, is by Prince Diabaté, a griot from Guinea in West Africa. His father was a kora player who broke tradition and also taught Diabaté's mother to play, and Prince Diabaté gained proficiency by accompanying his parents to their concerts. He takes as inspiration traditional Mandingo and Malinké music, but he also borrows from reggae, rap, blues and funk. He has been called the "Jimi Hendrix of the kora," and he is responsible for creating the sound he calls Mandingo reggae. Sabou can be found on his 2006 album Djerelon.

Griot the Day: Kassé Mady Diabaté and "Ko Kuma Magni"

Today's random song is by Kassé Mady Diabaté, a singer from Mali descended from the Malian griot musical caste. Realizing that Kassé Mady may have inherited his family's musical prowess, they schooled and encouraged him. As lead singer of the Orchestre Régional Super Mandé de Kangaba, Kassé Mady won the Biennale music competition in the Malian capital of Bamako. He caught the eye of a group of Malian musicians who had gone to Cuba to study music - they asked him to join their group as lead singer. The group, the Maravillas, later known as the Bandema National, became famous throughout West Africa due to their music...Cuban style music with a touch of Malian Manding. In 1988 he left Mali for Paris and recorded his first solo record - he spent ten years there before moving back to Mali and made influential albums in collaboration with other artists such as flamenco group Ketama, blues artist Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabaté. This song, Ko Kuma Magni, can be found on his 2014 album Kiriké.

Tolerance: Youssou N'Dour and "Touba - Daru Salaam"

Today's random tune is by a legendary African musician. Youssou N'Dour is a singer, songwriter, composer, percussionist, actor and politician, and one of the most visible personas of Senegal. Born in a griot family, he didn't take the traditional griot path but he is considered a modern griot anyway. He was the driving force behind the popular Senegalese music called mbalax. He came to world notice thanks to his collaborations with Western musicians like Peter Gabriel, but his music stands on its own. This song, Touba - Daru Salaam, is from his 2004 CD Egypt. The album combines West and North African music, as well as instrumentation in its use of the West African kora and the Arab oud. It promotes the tolerance of Senegalese Islam, and garnered a Grammy award for N'Dour.